State granted waiver, will eliminate double-testing

New York State was granted a federal waiver Thursday eliminating the double-testing of students in math.

STAFF REPORT

New York State was granted a federal waiver Thursday eliminating the double-testing of students in math.

Seventh and eighth grade students who take Algebra I and the Regents exam for the course also are required to take the state Common Core Mathematics Test for the grade in which they are enrolled.

The waiver will end this "double-testing" starting this spring, impacting nearly 60,000 students statewide, state Education Commissioner John King Jr. said in a news release.

"The Regents, the Chancellor and I are committed to reducing the amount of time students spend on tests and eliminating any tests that don't inform instruction or improve student learning," King said.

School districts now will be allowed to administer only the Regents exam to the aforementioned students. This provision also applies to students in Geometry and who take the Regents in Geometry.

"Testing is an important part of the instructional cycle and good, sound assessments are necessary to monitor student academic progress," King said. "But we have repeatedly said that the amount of testing should be the minimum necessary to inform effective decision-making."